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Many of the 2022 trends are being watched closely across all industries. In 2022, most businesses adopted new strategies to cope with the pandemic impact that kicked off in 2021. The staffing industry has also undergone drastic changes. Work from home, remote hiring, hybrid work cultures, etc. are some changes that emerged in 2021 due to the drastically dynamic business scenarios.
Despite the pandemic, the Indian staffing industry grew at 3.6 per cent in the fiscal year 2020–21, fuelling optimism for 2022. According to a report from the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), flexi staffing in India is on an upward curve. Healthcare, IT & ITeS, Pharma, EdTech, and E-commerce are the top five sectors that are boosting this growth. More women and graduates are opting for flexible jobs. The Indian staffing industry will continue to grow. Listed below are the top five staffing trends of 2022 that are driving the growth.
Virtual hiring and hybrid working: Hiring has always been about people-to-people interactions and building connections. When the pandemic hit, the staffing industry went into a minor crisis. For a while, a hiring freeze prevailed. Campus recruitment was the worst hit. Freshers looking to start their careers did not see companies visiting their campuses. A few companies were future-ready and had tech-based virtual hiring avenues in place. Soon, this became the norm, with remote and hybrid work becoming a must for Gen Z. Most organisations are now providing flexi working options to attract and retain people. Many people are getting hired, onboarded virtually and working in teams without meeting each other or visiting the office.
Tech-enabled hiring solutions ensure that hiring continues seamlessly and more effectively, with organisations benefitting from a larger candidate base. Besides, the solutions are cost-effective and efficient and save time. All these enhance the quality of hire.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): DEI isn’t a new trend; however, it has gained more momentum in the post-pandemic scenario. More women are joining the workforce because of the flexi and remote work options open to them. The pandemic has shown that organisations can become more inclusive through remote and hybrid working models. Organisations learned that they could help people balance work and life better. Many talented people who had opted out due to various constraints found their purpose, and organisations gained from it.
Many studies have shown that diverse teams are more productive, leading to organisational success. Credible staffing partners like Careernet help implement DEI programmes to help employees feel accepted and valued. Thus, DEI is a crucial trend that is here to stay.
Data analytics and automation: AI is the buzzword across most industry sectors, and its impact on the staffing industry is no less. AI drives automation to improve operational efficiency. The benefits of automation are multifold. It eliminates the scope for human errors and biases, saves time, improves accuracy and makes systems more efficient and cost-effective.
Data is the fuel for Al, which is why data analytics is in demand. Analysing data helps understand and study various patterns, which, in turn, facilitates streamlining processes and making better decisions. In the staffing industry, these technologies enhance hiring efficiency, and create exceptional candidate experiences. Predictive analytics helps create resilient processes that can cope with future disruptions.
Project-based hiring: The pandemic made business scenarios more volatile. Companies of all sizes now prefer to hire on a project basis to ensure they can fulfil their needs without hiring permanently. Also, some specialists in some niche skills like to work only on a project basis and do not want to become permanent employees. This approach helps both parties to achieve their goals. While organisations gain flexibility and an improved ROI through this mode, it also creates more staffing opportunities in the market. This scenario helps many skilled people looking for flexi opportunities.
Rise of the gig economy: The gig economy refers to the labour market that uses short-term contracts and freelance personnel to complete projects. This gig economy is on the rise in India due to many factors, such as the impact of the pandemic, the preferences of Gen Z, the millennials' newfound love for flexibility and easy accessibility to legit freelance platforms. One of the main factors driving this in India is the skill gap estimated to be 21.1 percent, despite lakhs of graduates passing out every year.
Another vital factor driving the gig economy is the rise in India’s startup culture. Startups have to show promise and turn profitable with lean budgets. They cannot afford to engage permanent employees for all positions, and this scenario creates opportunities for the staffing industry.
These are the top five staffing trends of 2022 that will shape its future as this year will prove to be transformative.
